I never heard back from them! Like the rest of No 10, I think they're just chronically understaffed and overwhelmed - so what with that, the sheer complexity and pace of what they're up against, and a 24 hour news cycle, it's almost inevitable that they end up playing whack-a-mole rather than pulling together a serious strategy (on resilience, or anything else). And obviously this is all before we factor in the additional problem of a Prime Minister who basically isn't interested in strategy.
Unfortunately none of this obviates the NEED for a strategy, needless to say. I do think capacity is the essential starting point - not just in No 10, nor just in the relevant Cabinet Office secretariats, but in a serious Prime Minister's Strategy Unit. There hasn't been one for years, but the one that existed under Blair (which I used to collaborate with from where I sat in DFID, and really admired) did some incredibly good and important work, including on international issues like fragile states.
I profoundly disagree with pretty much everything you have said here—which is historically and economically illiterate on what UK aid has achieved or how poverty was reduced. This is why I alway had an issue with UKAID and USAID—they worked on vibes and middle class champagne socialism not reality. You say the United States is an enemy, citing Carney as a hero (while he forgets geography and cosies up to China and Qatar) and yet you have voted with your feet!! Tell Starmer to talk to actual economists with decades of field experience next time
Thanks for sharing, Alex. I’m curious, how did they respond?
I never heard back from them! Like the rest of No 10, I think they're just chronically understaffed and overwhelmed - so what with that, the sheer complexity and pace of what they're up against, and a 24 hour news cycle, it's almost inevitable that they end up playing whack-a-mole rather than pulling together a serious strategy (on resilience, or anything else). And obviously this is all before we factor in the additional problem of a Prime Minister who basically isn't interested in strategy.
Unfortunately none of this obviates the NEED for a strategy, needless to say. I do think capacity is the essential starting point - not just in No 10, nor just in the relevant Cabinet Office secretariats, but in a serious Prime Minister's Strategy Unit. There hasn't been one for years, but the one that existed under Blair (which I used to collaborate with from where I sat in DFID, and really admired) did some incredibly good and important work, including on international issues like fragile states.
Glad you're out there doing this important work Alex!
Thanks Alex for the recommendation. It was very interesting to read your thoughts on aid narratives too!
I profoundly disagree with pretty much everything you have said here—which is historically and economically illiterate on what UK aid has achieved or how poverty was reduced. This is why I alway had an issue with UKAID and USAID—they worked on vibes and middle class champagne socialism not reality. You say the United States is an enemy, citing Carney as a hero (while he forgets geography and cosies up to China and Qatar) and yet you have voted with your feet!! Tell Starmer to talk to actual economists with decades of field experience next time